The Akuma Star
by AWakeingDream
Summary: Lavi's little sister doesn't know she has a brother, even though she's a resident of headquarters despite not having any innocence bonded with her. Allen's arrival causes her world to quickly begin to change, as secrets are revealed and innocence is found.
1. Prolog

**Prolog**

Lavi squinted against the rain as he looked up at the mountain in front of him. He couldn't see it from here, but he knew the headquarters of the Black Order was up there. That was his goal. He had to make it up there, no matter what.

"There has to be stairs," he said to himself, dropping his gaze to look around the base of the mountain. He would do it if he had to, but it would be safer for both of them if he didn't end up having to climb the side of the mountain.

As the rain started coming down harder, Lavi pulled the hood of his jacket up. Since he was wearing it backwards, the buttons buttoned up at his back, he was able to cover the little head of red hair that rested just under his chin. He would get soaked, but he didn't care, as long as his baby sister was okay. Maybe it didn't even matter anymore if she got wet enough to get a cold, but he refused to acknowledge that possibility. He just _had_ to save his sister. And the Black Order could do that.

Holding his baby sister firmly against him, he started running along the base of the mountain, watching the wall of rock as he went for any sign of stairs or a path up. After what felt like forever of running, he skidded to a stop, his eyes on a carving in the rocks. It was almost impossible to see, but it was there. The symbol of the black order. He walked over to it and ran his fingers over the carving. Nothing happened. He pushed it, thinking maybe it was a hidden button. Sure enough, the symbol sunk into the rock under the pressure, and just to his left a doorway opened up.

"Found it," Lavi grinned, then looked down at his sister's covered head. "Don't worry, sis. You'll be okay now."

He hurried into the passageway. Once he was inside, he pushed back his jacket's hood and carefully pulled his limp sister out. After carefully setting her on the dry, hard stone ground, he turned his jacket around on him so that he could undo the buttons. Then he wrapped his sister up in the jacket, swaddling her like moms do to babies, with the hood coming out near her head so that he could use it to cover her again if he had to. Then he carried her against him as he started running up the underground stairs.

It was eerily silent in the cave as Lavi ran, and it seemed to go on forever. Hundreds of stairs, hours of running. It should have been exhausting after a while, but Lavi just had one thought, one purpose, in his mind, something that probably would have kept him going until the end of time, if necessary.

He had to save his sister.

Finally, he emerged from the cave and ran to the front door of the Black Order's headquarters.

"Let us in!" he started screaming against the pouring rain, holding his sister tightly against him to protect her from the weather. He'd pulled the hood up to cover her head again. "Let us in! Please, you have to let us in! Please! Let us in, please!"

When nothing happened, he stopped, breathing heavily, and looked down at the little girl in his arms. Her eyes were closed, like they have been for days, and her skin was too pale. But his eyes focused on the star on her forehead, standing out starkly against her pale skin.

He squeezed his eyes shut and started screaming again, even louder, "PLEASE! I DON'T CARE IF YOU LEAVE ME OUT HERE, BUT YOU HAVE TO HELP MY SISTER!"


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1: Allen Walker**

"I don't know where she thinks I could go," I say thoughtfully, looking around, my hands on my hips. "There's nowhere else. Just here." After a pause, I shrug and turn, starting to walk slowly around the building, "Here and wherever everyone goes when they leave. But I don't know how to get there." Leenalee had told me to make sure I stay close when I came outside, like she always does when she can't come with me. But really, I wouldn't even know how to go anywhere else even if I had the desire to.

But, I suppose, I do have the desire to. I think I'd like to go where everyone else goes. They always come back with stories. But I don't have any of my own stories. I've never left the Black Order headquarters. Not in my entire life.

Which is twelve years, by the way. My name is Levi, I'm twelve years old, and I have red hair that I always tie up in two ponytails like Leenalee's, and green eyes. I'm not sure how tall I am or how much I weigh – I can never remember, even though the doctor's told me every time I get a checkup. I do remember that I'm apparently small for my age.

I grew up here, at the Black Order, with the exorcists taking care of me. I suppose my real parents are dead, or maybe they just didn't want me. I never bothered to ask, because I have the perfect family already. One way or another, someone decided that I belong with the exorcists, and that's all that really matters.

"Is this really the right place, Timcampy?" a strange voice wonders. I gasp, spinning around. A _stranger_ is here?! How?!

I come face to face with a boy several years older than me, with a strange mark on his eye and white hair. I quickly slap both my hands over my forehead – oh yeah, I also have a weird birthmark on my forehead that's in the shape of a star. Nobody really cares, but I've been warned by several people to never let strangers see it.

But why is a stranger _here_?!

I scream and turn away, running back through the front door of headquarters. By the time the door slams shut behind me, the balcony is filled with exorcists, as well as the perimeter here on the first floor. More than half of them have weapons ready. I stare at them all with wide eyes, feeling my face turning red.

"Sorry…I um, there's an outsider out there…" I lower my hands from my forehead and point over my shoulder, at the door.

Immediately, almost everyone starts asking questions and wondering.

"Did they hurt you?" Someone asks.

I shake my head and smile, "I'm okay! I ran away! Like this!" I turned and ran again, but this time without the scream, and made my way through all the people and up to the surveillance room.

"Excuse me!" a strange voice says just as I enter the room. I look at the picture that shows just outside, and see the stranger standing in front of the door.

"Nice exit, Levi," Leenalee laughs when she notices me. I blush a little bit, but don't say anything as I go over to stand beside her and everyone else who's watching the boy. "I was sent here by Priest Cross Marian. I'm Allen Walker. I would like to discuss some issues with the priests."

I giggle, "Priests." I don't know why, but I've always thought that to be a funny word. Actually, I suppose it's because priests in books take care of churches and stuff. They don't fight demons, like the exorcists do.

"A friend of the general! He's still alive after all! The boy is saying he is to be 'introduced.' Supervisor, have you heard anything?"

There's a moment of silence before Komui says, "Nope." Then he speaks into the mic so his voice is projected outside, "Take the examination from the gatekeeper behind you."

Since Allen Walker has his back to the gate keeper now, he turns back around. "Hi. Nice to meet you," he says to the gate keeper. Before he can say anything else, the gate keeper's giant face lurches forward until it's _right_ in front of Allen Walker's face.

"X-RAY EXAMINATION. DETERMINING WHETHER SUBJECT IS AKUMA OR HUMAN," the gate keeper said as beams shoot out of its eyes and scan Allen Walker.

"Whooooa," I whisper, never having seen this before.

"Hey, come on, why didn't the girl have to do this?!" Allen Walker protests.

"Because I live here, dummy!" I yell.

"He can't hear you, you know," Leenalee reminds me.

"Where's the thingy?!" Kumoi hands me the mic and I yell again, "Because I live here, dummy!" This time, my voice echoes out of the building too, so Allen Walker hears it.

"You're an exorcist?" he says in confusion.

"HE WON'T SHOW UP?" the gate keeper speaks again before I can yell at him that I'm not an exorcist. The room falls silent, as all of us watch. "IS IT A BUG?"

Then we all see it. The star above his left eye. The gate keeper starts screaming, _"THIS GUY IS OUTTA HERE!_ THIS GUY IS A BUG! THE PENTACLE ON HIS FOREHEAD IS CURSED! OUT, OUT! THE PENTACLE MARK IS THE MARK OF AN AKUMA A FRIEND OF THE EARL OF MILLENNIUM!"

"Wha-what?" Allen Walker starts stressing out.

"WHAT?!" Everyone in the room yells…except me. I'm silent, watching.

"INTRUDER ALERT! INTRUDER ALERT!" The gate keeper yells.

"Hey, are the Exorcists in this building…?"

"They're all okay," Robot 65 answers.

Just then, a dark shadow swoops down on Allen Walker, going in for the attack. Kanda.

"You sure have courage, coming here alone," Kanda observes.

"Wa-wait a moment!" Allen yells. "I think you've mistaken me for some—"

But Kanda's going in for the attack anyway. One of Allen's arms turns into a giant, white arm. An anti-Akuma weapon. He uses it as a shield against Kanda's sword.

I snatch the mic again and yell into it just as Kanda's going for another attack, " _STOP!"_

At once, everyone freezes – both the people in the room with me and the two outside. I realize I'm breathing heavily, and I swallow nervously. "Let him in," I tell Kanda and the gate keeper. "Please."

Kanda scoffs, but sheaths Mugen anyway. Over some people here, my word reigns, no matter almost what. Kanda, despite being one of the most heartless people here, or at least he pretends to be, he'll listen to me.

As Kanda leads Allen Walker inside, I push the microphone back at Komui and run out of the room, and back to the ginormous entryway. I come out on the balcony, practically throwing myself into the railing, since I don't bother to slow down.

"Why do you have that?!" I demand, yelling down to the boys. Kanda and Allen both look up at me in surprise.

"You're that girl!" Allen points out obviously, pointing up at me. Kanda scoffs again and walks away from Allen to stand against a pillar under me.

"Why do you have that?!" I demand again.

"What?"

"That!" I point to the start on his forehead. "Why do you have that star?!" He's the only person that I've ever even heard of that has a star like mine. Except mine's solid and in the center of his forehead. His is an upside down pentacle over his left eye.

"Oh, that. It's a curse. My father gave it to me when I was a kid. I can see Akuma with it," he explains. Kanda immediately steps away from the column and jumps up to join me on the balcony and starts pushing me away.

"Go," he orders.

"But-!" I try to protests, but Leenalee appears down below.

"Come on, Allen, I'll take you to see the supervisor. I'm Leenalee," she smiles at him. Between her and Kanda, I know that I won't be able to get anymore answers. Giving up, for now, I finally turn around and let Kanda push me into the hallway, and I go to the cafeteria.


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: Innocence**

I sit in the cafeteria for a whole five minutes before my annoyance and anger gets the best of me, and I fling the door open again, stalking through it and to where I _know_ Lenalee took Allen to meet Komui.

I stop about halfway there when I hear the screaming. "Surgery's begun," I notice. "Poor Allen," I try not to laugh. But really, it's his own fault for trying to stand up to Kanda. He should have just dodged instead of trying to defend like that. Then again, I'm not quite sure he could have dodged…Kanda's fast. So really, I guess there really is no right choice when going up against Kanda. I've watched him train, and nobody's beaten him.

I continue walking, following the sounds of the scream until they stop. I find Komui and Allen just as they're getting on the elevator.

"Mind if I come?" I ask, curious to know what's going to happen next. Allen looks half dead, on his knees near the middle.

"Not at all!" Komui smiles cheerfully at me. He's in a scarily good mood. I mean, I've never really seen him in any sort of bad mood, but there's something almost sinister in his glee right now.

"What's got you in such a good mood?" I ask suspiciously, stepping onto the floating square.

"Allen here has a parasite anti-Akuma weapon," Komui informs me.

"Oooooh," I nod, suddenly understanding. The parasite type is the rarest type, and Komui got to basically experiment on it. "Poor Allen," I pat the top of the newcomers head. "Hey, I'm taller than you right now!" I'm the shortest person in this entire building, and have been all my life because I've always been the youngest. Yes, I take advantage of these times when I'm taller than someone, even if it is because they're barely conscious on the ground.

"Alright, off we go!" Komui says as the elevator starts moving. "Your arm won't move because of the anesthetic, but it's fixed," he informs Allen. I bend over to peer under his hair and at his face. He looks ill. "There are some side effects, but parasitism types are rare. Your type is one of the best at activating the power of Innocence."

"Innocence?" Allen asks, lifting his head. I squeal and jump away, slamming into the railing. I glare at the railing as the Commander in Chief's people answer. Railings have something against me today, I think.

"You possess the Innocence of God. The power of all intellectual omnipotence."

"Omniwhat?" I wonder, knowing to keep my voice quiet.

"Yet again, I have gotten my hands on a god."

"These are people of our boss, the Commander-in-chief," Komui introduces them. Allen's now on his feet. "Now, show your value to these people."

"Huh?" Allen looks at him blankly.

Hebraska reaches up her giant, long, tentacle-like arms and wraps them around Allen, lifting him off the platform and into the air.

"What…?!" Allen looks at Hebraska in surprise and fear.

"Innocence…" Hebraska almost hisses.

"It's Impossible, Allen!" Komui calls to Allen, and I realize he's trying to activate his Innocence. "The anesthesia won't wear off until tomorrow. You won't be able to activate it."

"Komui!" Allen yells angrily. "Uhg…"

"Your cross is really beautiful, Allen," Komui says in a creepily giddy voice.

"You're waaay too happy right now…" I say, looking at Komui suspiciously.

He ignores my comment, however, and asks, "How is it, Hebraska? How is this apostle of God? Does he satisfy your needs?"

"Damn it! MOVE!" Allen yells after being examined by Hebreska for a minute. I gasp as his Innocence activates and his red arm transforms into the giant white arm that's his weapon. Except, it looks like it's…unraveling. Allen looks at it in surprise and horror.

"Amazing!" Hebreska comments. "He overcame the anesthesia! You…your nerves are paralyzed. Don't try to push yourself into activating it! Calm down…I am not your enemy."

"It's okay, Allen! She just reads Innocence!" I call out to him. He looks at me, surprised, and surprising me. Is my word going to reign over even this newcomer? "I did it before!" I tell him. "When I was eight!" I think. I can't really remember _exactly_ how old I was, but it was somewhere around then.

Allen continues to stare at me, surprised. But I guess he figures, if a little kid can do it and come out alive, then he should be fine. So he stops struggling and stops trying to fight. I smile as Hebreska scans him, reading his innocence and deactivates his innocence for him. His weapon looked weird, but his normal arm looks find, thank goodness.

"You're alright now," Hebreska tells him. "It looks like 83% is your maximum synchronization with your weapon."

"Synchronization percentage?" Allen asks. I sit down against the railing, pulling my knees towards my chest and wrapping my arms loosely around my legs as I watch them. I've seen other people go through this before, but it's been quite some time since anyone new has come.

"It's the life-line for the Anti-Akuma weapon activation," Hebreska explains to him. "The lower the synchronization percentage, the harder it is to activate, and the user may become endangered. I didn't mean to scare you," she adds as she gently sets him back down on the elevator. "I was just trying to get to know your Innocence."

"Get to know my Innocence?" Allen questions.

"Allen Walker… Sometime in the black future, your innocence will create an extraordinary Time Destroyer." I frown. This is new. "That is what I have felt… That is my power."

"Destroyer?" Allen asks, sounding a little bit worried.

Komui, however, still holds that scarily cheerfulness in his voice and mood as he claps and sings, "How amazing!" I facepalm. This man… "That is probably true! Hebreska's fortune-telling is correct most f the time. Heheheh. We can count on you, Allen!"

"Komui…" Allen suddenly turns and throws his fist out towards Komui. Unfortunately, Komui blocks the blow with his clipboard, which bends almost in half.

"Nice punch," I compliment.

"Thank you," Allen says to me before growling at Komui, "Can I please just punch you once?"

"How mean! You already punched!" Komui says, still in that scary sing-song voice. Finally, he drops it, "Sorry, sorry. You were surprised, eh? You were scared, I know, I know… Exorcists who join must be examined by Hebreska. Those are the rules."

"Please mention those kinds of things beforehand!" Allen yells, pointing an accusing finger at Komui. He crosses his arms then, "What is Innocence anyways?" he asks.

"It's what exorcists use to fight," I answer before Komui can. In the mood he's in, he's probably going to give the world's most terrifying answer and make it sound like Innocence is some demonic entity that feeds off your soul. That would be kinda funny to tell him, actually…

"There's a story, it's known only to the Black Order, the Vatican and the Earl of Millennium," I start to explain, glancing at Komui to see if he's going to stop me. He simply gestures for me to continue. I smile, thankful that he's trusting me with educating the new arrival.

So I continue, "It started almost a hundred years ago, when a cube was found. There was a message on the cube. 'To our descendents…We won against the darkness, and some were destroyed. As you travel along, trouble will surely arise. To prevent this trouble, we leave you with this message.' It was instructions on how to use God's Crystal. We call it Innocence now though. The cube was made out of it. It's in the cross on your hand, it's what makes your arm an Anti-Akuma weapons. The weapons process the Innocence, turn it into weapons. All Exorcists have Innocence because they have Anti-Akuma weapons.

"We know the cube's maker used Innocence too, of course. About seven thousand years ago, they fought the evil, the Millennium Earl, and won. The Old Testament calls it 'Noah's Great Flood.' The cube called it the 'Three Days of Darkness' though. The Cube predicted that the Earl will bring on the end of the world, that the 'Three Days of Darkness' will happen again."

 _"Time is a river. But what many don't know, is that the river, is a circle,"_ a voice whispers mysteriously. I look around, but it's just me, Komui and Allen.

"Levi?" Komui questions after a minute. "Are you going to continue?"

"Didn't you…?" I start to ask, looking back at them. But from their expressions, I can tell that they didn't. I shake it off for now and continue. "So far, we know the cube's predictions are right. The Millennium Earl is back. Since that prediction came true, the Vatican decided to follow the cube's instructions. They revived the ancient order of the Black Priests and put the Innocence to use. One apostle to one Innocence. But not everyone's compatible with Innocence. Those who are, are called Exorcists." I look at Allen. He just stands there in amazement, taking in all this information. "Then, of course, there are the demons risen from the dead, the Akuma. Killing machines. The Earl's army, that he'll use to cause the 'Three Days of Darkness' again. He wants to destroy Innocence completely too, so that the Innocence can't stand in his way of destroying the world.

"There are a hundred and nine pieces of Innocence total. The Black Order is meant to bring Innocence and Exorcist together, to gather up an army to fight against the Earl's Akuma. The Earl is already on the move to find the people with Innocence and destroy them. It's a race," I nod. "To get the Innocence." If we lose the race, we lose everything.

"Fight!" one of the Commander-in-Chief's people says. "That is your duty, as one who has been chosen by the Innocence," he tells Allen. "It is a duty!"

"Well then," Komui finally speaks up. "That's about it for the long explanation." He seems to have calmed down, finally, as he holds out his hand towards Allen. "Let's fight together, to save the world." Then he adds, back to that scary sing-song voice, "You won't make a single dollar, though."

Allen just stares at Komui for a second, probably confirming, just like everyone who comes here has at some point, that Komui is without a doubt insane. "Sure," Allen smiles and shakes hands with Komui. I smile. Another soldier for the arm. Watch out, Millennium Earl!

"Welcome to the Black Order!" Komui says.

 **PS Special Thanks to You, AngelHeartsX, for being my first follower and reviewer on this story!**

 **On another note, tonight and tomorrow I will be working on a drawing of Levi! I'm not promising amazing results, I'm not a very good drawer usually - my talent lies with the words, not the pictures - but I promise to do my best for you guys!**


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3:**

"Right now, with you in our group, we have found 19 Exorcists. Most are around the world working on different missions, but you'll soon be able to meet them all," Kumoi tells Allen.

"Hebreska's an Exorcist," I blurt, simply to see Allen's reaction. He just stares at me as if I'm joking. "I'm serious."

"It is true, I am an Exorcist," Hebreska testifies.

Finally, Allen's eyes bulge out and his jaw drops almost to the floor, "WHAT?! How is that even _possible_?!"

"Allow me to explain," Hebreska says as I choke back giggles. "I am a different…type than you guys. But I am a compatible person for a cube, ever since the Teachings started, I have been a keeper of Innocence. I have met with many Exorcists. Allen…may God be with you."

"No worries or anything," I say idly.

"Levi, would you mind showing him to his new room, so I can get back to work?" Kumoi asks me as the elevator stops.

"On it, sir!" I salute as I spin around and leap off the elevator – even though there's really no reason to jump, since it comes to rest right against the floor of the balcony. Allen follows me, but he just walks.

"So where's your Anti-Akuma weapon?" Allen asks me as we walk. I don't answer right away. "Ah, I'm sorry if that was rude, you don't have to answer," he says quickly.

"No, it's not that," I assure him right away. "It's just that I don't have one. I'm not an Exorcist. No Innocence is compatible with me."

"You sound disappointed by that."

I nod, "I am. I mean, most of the people who live here are the scientists and stuff, so it's not like I really stand out. But the Exorcists have been all over the world, and I've never been off this…island."

Allen laughs, "It is kind of like an island, isn't it? Well at least you're safe from all the Akuma up here. You're too young to fight anyway."

"How old are you?" I ask. With his white hair, it makes it harder to tell.

"Fifteen," he tells me.

I roll my eyes, "So you're only three years older than me. And you came from General Cross, right? How old were you when you started training with him?"

"How did you know that?" he asks.

"Golem," I say obviously, pointing to the Golem floating over his shoulder. "General Cross doesn't like coming here, but I do remember Timcampy from when I was little."

"You're smart, aren't you?"

I shrug, "I guess. It's just that there's nothing else for me to do, so I read a lot. Plus, since I'm the youngest person here, I'm like everyone's kid or sister, so I get to know pretty much everyone. Even Kanda," I grin, remembering Kanda's reaction to Allen.

"Yeah, is he always that hostile?"

"Yes," I answer right away, nodding. "He's got a bit of a temper," I giggle.

"I don't doubt it."

"Anyway, this is your room," I throw open a door to show him the room. It looks just like most of the other rooms in the place. A few of them are personalized, but since Exorcists come and go a lot, most of them are just standard. "You can do whatever you want to it. Rearrange or decorate. Did Lenalee show you around before she took you to Komui?"

"Yeah, she did," Allen nods.

I nod, lacing my fingers behind my back, "Good! Any more questions?"

"Just one. Why were you so interested in my curse before?"

"I'm not, really. I'm just interested on how you have a star on your head."

"Okay, but why?"

I hesitate. I've been told to never tell outsiders, to try to hide my star from outsiders. But Allen's an Exorcist, so it should be safe, right? But then again, maybe telling an Exorcist would be worse. Everyone here has known all my life, so they've known for years. But Allen doesn't know, doesn't understand what they do. If I tell him, he might think I'm a threat.

But then again, he's bound to find out sooner or later. It'd be safer to do it in the cafeteria though, or the lounge, where there's always people around. Right now, it's just me and him in the hallway though.

But still, I push up my bangs and say, "Cause I have one too. It's not a curse though, like yours. Or, actually, maybe it is. I wouldn't know, I've never even seen Akuma before."

"May I?" he gestures to my forehead with one hand. I nod, knowing already that he wants to get a closer look at the mark. He brushes my bangs to the side so he can look at it. "I don't think it's like mine, because it's solid, and mine isn't. It actually looks like—"

"Levi," Lenalee's voice cuts off his words, startling us both.

"Oh, hey Lenalee," Allen smiles, dropping his hand away from my face. I shake my head to make my bangs fall back into place properly.

"Hi Allen," she smiles as she comes over to us. "Sorry, but I have to steal Levi away. I need her help getting coffee for pretty much everyone. And trust me, nobody wants to see my brother without coffee."

"Again," I add.

"Your brother?" Allen asks.

"Oh, right, I didn't tell you," she giggles. "Kumoi's my brother."

"What?! How?!" Allen gapes at her. I don't blame him. Lenalee and Kumoi both look and act _nothing_ alike.

"I suspect Kumoi was actually born an alien and got dropped on Lenalee's poor parents to raise," I tell him, making all three of us laugh.

"And I think she has at least half the order convinced of that too," Lenalee adds. "Now come on, Levi, we need to get the boys their coffee."

 **PS I ended up not sleeping and finished the drawing! It is now the cover of this story! Hopefully the image is working, but if it's not, and you want to see the drawing, check out my facebook page, which you can find a link to (or at least the address of, thank you copy and paste) on my profile bio thingie. Be warned, it's not that great. I messed it up a little bit. But fear not, because I anticipate more drawings coming up! Not now, of course, but throughout the course of writing this story, there will probably be a few more drawings.**

 **Anyway, hope you're enjoying Levi's story so far!**

 **PPS Levi's shown in the drawing in an Exorcist uniform, but that's not actually what she's wearing. She dresses in normal clothes right now, jeans and tee-shirts and blah.**


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: The Finders**

"Okay, steady," Lenalee says steadily as she carefully moves the tray into place. The tables closest to us are all watching this – no pressure or anything, right? – and more than a few people are discussing and taking bets about what's going on.

What's going on is that Lenalee and I are getting the boys in the command center – or at least that's what I call it – coffee. That's a lot of cups to carry, even with trays. She has two that she's going to carry, and I've decided today, like I decide almost every day, to carry three. Two in each of my hands, and one balanced on my head. Lenalee already adjusted my ponytails, pulling them down a little bit on my head so that they wouldn't get in the way. Now that I have a tray balanced on each of my hands, she's carefully placing the tray on my head.

"Tilt your head up just a tiiiiiny bit," she says, still speaking slowly. Pressing the tip of my tongue against the bottom of my upper teeth, I watch her arms move above me as I slowly tilt my head up just a fraction of an inch before she says, "Stop."

"There's no way," someone says, though I can't look to see who.

"She's done it before," someone else reminds them.

"Yeah, but there's at least four more cups on that tray than usual. It's too heavy."

"I don't know, Levi has a thick skull, I think she can take it."

I huff, "Okay, who said that?!" I demand. No response. "Who _said_ that?!" I demand again.

"Jenkins." "Thomas." "Simon." "Moron." Several voices answer at once.

"Moron?" Lenalee questions. We have no one here named Moron. Several people laugh, and Lenalee just rolls her eyes, "Oh just shut up and let me concentrate." She huffs after a minute, and goes back to focusing on balancing the tray _just_ right on my head. "There. Now just don't move your head."

"Right!" I agree. She picks up her two trays and the two of us leave the cafeteria and head to the command center. We pass Allen along the way. He starts to greet us, but then freezes and gapes at me when he sees me balancing three trays.

"Hi Allen! Bye Allen!" I chirp as we pass him. He just stares at us as we pass, and we go up to the command center.

"Whoa-ho, impressive, Levi!" someone says as we walk in.

"Thank you!" I beam, as Lenalee sets her trays down and then turns to take the tray off my head so I can put down the two trays in my hands.

"Coffee!" Lenalee calls, and everyone working at the moment swarms around to get their coffee. I grab Komui's mug and duck out of the crowd to give it to him.

"Here you go!" I hold out his up.

"Ah, thank you, Levi," Komui grins as he takes his cup and takes a grateful sip of it. Then he looks at me, "Listen, Levi, about telling Allen about your birthmark…" he starts.

"I already told him," I say before he can go on. Komui looks at me, surprised. I shrug, "I wanted to know about his. But, it's not the same as mine, is it?" I ask.

Komui seems to hesitate for a second before answering, "No, Levi, it's not like yours."

I nod. "I'm going to get something to eat. Work hard!" I hurry out of the room. In the doorway, I stop and turn around, "And organize your desk!" I yell at him, before leaving the room and letting the door fall shut behind me.

I run until I get to the cafeteria again, and I see Allen standing in front of Jerry, ordering, so I walk over to join him. "…potato salad and corn and a kuppa, tomyank and rice, for dessert I want a mango pudding and 20 mitarashi dangos." Allen orders. Jerry and I both gape at him.

"You can eat all of that?!" Jerry asks.

Before Allen can answer, though, there's a shout throughout the cafeteria. "WHAT DID YOU SAY?!" Allen turns, surprised. I smile, already knowing exactly what's going on, as I spin around, my hands behind my back, to watch. "YOU WANNA SAY THAT AGAIN?!" the giant man yells again.

"Stop it, Buzz!" one of his friends, though I can't tell from here, yells.

"Be quiet!" Kanda snaps harshly. Even though his voice isn't raised, the silence in the room makes it easy to hear him. "My meal tastes bad when you're talking about dead people."

My shoulders slump. Oh. So that's what this is about.

"Is that how you show respect for you fallen comrades?!" Buzz yells angrily. "We, the Finders, support you with your lives! And you…you…AND YOU'RE SAYING YOUR MEAL TASTES BAD?!"

"Oh…" I whisper. Buzz is pulling one large fist back and is readying to hit Kanda. That's _not_ going to end well. Kanda dodges the punch easily, simply tilting himself to the side a little bit. Uh oh.

Kanda's instantly on his feet, facing Buzz, his hand wrapped around the much larger man's throat as he easily lifts him off the ground.

"Support us?" Kanda repeats. "All you can do is 'support' us. You guys are the ones who weren't chosen to carry the Innocence. If you don't want to die, run away. Your insignificant life can be replaced at any time."

Before I even notice that Allen's not beside me anymore, I realize that he's not standing beside Kanda, his hand around Kanda's wrist. _This_ is going to end well. He pulls Kanda's arm down to eye-level and simply says, "Stop it."

"I'm sorry to interrupt you when I have nothing to do with this," Allen continues, "but I don't think this is a good way of resolving things."

Kanda just stares at Allen in silence for a minute, surprised. A cookie appears out of the corner of my eye, startling me. I glance at it, and then glance back at Jerry, who's the one holding it out for me. It's one of those giant cookies that I love, that's almost as big as my head. It looks like this one's chocolate chunk, one of my favorites. I take the cookie gratefully and take a bite of it. Like always, it's nice and soft. I go back to watching Kanda, Allen and Buzz. But really, whatever was about to happen, Buzz kind of deserved it, for yelling at Kanda. Everyone knows better than to mess with Kanda by now – or at least, they should.

Finally, Kanda says, "Back off, bean sprout."

Allen looks annoyed suddenly, "I'm Allen!"

"If you don't die within the next month, I'll remember your name," Kanda says. That's odd, because I've survived twelve years and he doesn't seem to remember _my_ name. Maybe exorcists get special privileges. "There are many that die here, like these guys." I take another bite of my giant cookie.

There's a second of silence, then Kanda drops Buzz. "As I said, that's not a good thing to say."

Kanda looks at Allen, and even though I can't see his face from here, I can imagine the dark look he's giving the newcomer. "You're gonna die soon. I hate your type."

"Well thank you," Allen says simply.

Before anything else can be said, Lenalee calls from the other side of the room, "Kanda! Allen! Eat your food in 10 minutes and come to the command post." Oh yeah, _that's_ what they call it…well I was close enough. "You've got a mission."

Then she and whoever she's with – they're too far away for me to make them out – continue walking and leave. Allen comes back over to me and Jerry. By now, Jerry has Allen's food ready and on trays.

"Hmm…Levi, do you mind helping me carry these?" Allen asks, realizing just how much food he ordered. I narrow my eyes at the food. It looks like more than what he ordered. Did he order more before I came in? Can he eat all this?

I nod, and I carry one of the trays on my head and one on one of my hands, holding my giant cookie with my other hand as I take another bite of it and follow Allen to a table, where he takes the tray off my head and I set down the one I'm holding. I sit down across from him at the table, nibbling on my cookie as I watch him dig in. He really is going to eat all of it…

About halfway through, he stops and looks at me. "Are you okay?" he asks. "You're very quiet."

I nod. After a minute, I explain, "It's just that, since I can't be an Exorcist, I was going to be a Finder, when I'm older. Kanda knows that."

"I'm sure he didn't mean what he said before," Allen assures me. "I mean, I know I don't really know him, but he seems like the kind of person that would say something like that just to pick a fight with that other guy."

"Yeah," I agree quietly, but I know that it's not true. Kanda never says anything he doesn't believe is true. I just never knew Kanda looked down on Finders so much. Does that mean he's going to start treating me badly when I become a Finder? I mean, it's not like he's really nice to me now…he actually doesn't really acknowledge me that much…but if I become a Finder, will he insult me like he insulted Buzz? Will he try to choke me if I say something nice about Finders, or grieve them when they die, if I knew them?

"Time to go," Allen says after a few minutes. I blink at all the empty bowls and plates in between us. He actually ate all that. I'm not even a fifth of the way through my cookie, letting myself enjoy it. "Are you coming?" Allen asks me.

I nod, springing to my feet. I think I'm liking Allen already. Most people get annoyed that I sometimes follow them around like a Golem or something, but Allen's actually inviting me along. Then again…it is only his second day here.

 **PS Updates _maaaay_ be a wee bit slow from now on. My computer's a cheap piece of crap and is giving me trouble, and I'm actually re-reading the manga as I'm writing this story, and it's being a butt-head about reading the manga. So I promise to continue to knock out these chapters at a decent pace, but if they do slow down drastically, at least now you'll know why. Keep your fingers crossed and pray to whatever deity you may believe in to let my computer hold out so I can do this! Okay, babbling over now. Goodnight everyone!**

 **Not really, I'm probably going to get another chapter or two out tonight...er, this morning...oops, the sun's up. Oh well. But first, I must eat!**


	6. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5: Allen and Kanda, A New Team!**

The moment we walk into the room, the first thing I notice is that Komui's asleep. "Oh, let me do it, let me do it!" I whisper excitedly, jumping up and down. I'm only about a fourth of the way through my cookie, but I'm already feeling better. Kanda's here, but I'm ignoring him, as I tip toe over to Komui. He's passed out at his desk – which, for the record, doesn't look _any_ more organized than when I left a while ago.

"How is he asleep? Didn't you just give him coffee?" Allen wonders.

"Shhhhh!" I hush him. His eyes widen in surprise, but he shuts up.

I tip-toe to Komui's side and lean over to whisper in his ear, "Komui, Lenalee's getting _married!_ "

I jump back when Komui explodes awake, yelling, "LENALEE! HOW CAN YOU GET MARRIED WITHOUT TELLING YOUR OWN BROTHER?!"

Giggling, I skip back over to Allen's side, deliberately putting myself on the opposite side as Kanda. "That's the only way to wake him up," I explain to a very shocked looking Allen.

Komui looks over, notices he has visitors, and sits back down in his chair, pretending to be all professional – like he could even pull that off. "Sorry about that. I didn't get to sleep until daybreak, so…"

"So the coffee was pointless," I cut in. "We shouldn't have let you have any then, since it was a waste!"

"Coffee is _never_ a waste!" Komui gasps in horror at the idea as Kanda and Allen sit on the couch in front of his desk. Since the room looks like it's basically carpeted by paperwork, I sit down on my knees on the floor and start sifting through it. Since Komui's horrible at organization, I do a lot of it for him. So as the others talk, I start organizing all the papers.

"Alright, we don't have much time, so after hearing the summary, move out," Komui says. I glance up, grinning. Kanda and Allen have a mission _together_! I wish I could go with them, just to watch them argue the whole time. "If you want more detailed info, just read this while you head to your destination." Lenalee gives them each a file. "You two will go as partners," Komui adds, and Allen and Kanda's heads both snap to the side as they look at each other.

"What? You already aren't getting along?" Komui asks once he sees their shocked and horrified expressions.

"Kanda doesn't get along with anyone," I point out, more than a little bit of bitterness in my voice. I'm still mad at him. I take another bite of my cookie as Kanda looks at me in confusion, probably wondering _why_ I seem mad at him. I don't really have much of a temper, so it's rare that I get angry.

"Well, no excuses," Komui brushes the subject off, drawing Kanda's attention back to him. "We've found Innocence in southern Italy, but it may get taken by an akuma." My head snaps up at the word Innocence. But really, I should have known. Many times, when Exorcists go out, it's to gather Innocence. Of course, most of the time it's to hunt akuma though. "Your job is to destroy the enemy and secure the Innocence."

Once the briefing is done and Komui's given Allen his Black Order uniform, Komui and I take Kanda and Allen down to the underground water path, where a Finder is already waiting with a boat. I'm not sure which one it is though, since his face is covered.

"It's a bit big," Allen says as he adjusts his coat. "Do I have to wear this?"

"It's proof that you're an Exorcist of the Black Order!" I point out.

"Don't worry, it's made for battle," Komui tells him. "And I tuned your gloves a bit. They're easier to use!"

All ready to go, Allen and Kanda pile into the boat, ready to go. Suddenly Allen's sleeve moves, and Timcampy pops out of the cuff. "Timcampy! Where were you all this time?" Allen asks the Golem. I forgot I hadn't told Allen what I was doing last night. You see, even though I plan on becoming a Finder if I can't become an Exorcist, I have a strange interest in the golems. Some people say call it an obsession, but I think they're just exaggerating.

But anyway, last night, after I took Allen to his room, and when Lenalee called me to help her get coffee, I snatched Timcampy right out of the air without anyone noticing! But then I took him to Komui, since I knew that he'd want General Cross's golem. See? I'm not _just_ a golem-thief. Usually…

"Timcampy can record the past events of whoever he's been with," I tell Allen. "I stole him last night and Komui and I watched your travels and adventures. That's why he didn't sleep." And I didn't get much sleep either, really. I stayed up late to watch with Komui, but I fell asleep at some point.

Allen looks back at us as the boat floats down the river. I pull myself up on my tiptoes, holding my cookie with one hand and waving my other one. Even though I'm worried, because being an Exorcist is really dangerous, I smile as I wave to him. "Come back soon!" I call to him.

"I will! I promise!" Allen calls back to me.

I watch them go down the river until I can't see them anymore, and then I drop myself back down flat on my feet and grip the railing tightly with both hands. Part of me wants to go with them, to be an Exorcist and join the fight against the Millennium Earl, to see the world. But another part of me is always scared when I watch an Exorcist leave. Because, sometimes, they don't come back. I hate when they don't come back.

I hold my cookie in both hands again as I take a bite of it, watching the now empty tunnel. Komui puts his hand on my shoulder, and I look up and back at him, a small piece of cookie sticking out of my mouth.

"Don't worry," Komui says. He's not looking at me, but down the tunnel. He looks very calm right now. "They'll be back."

 **PS I love you, AngelHeartsX, your comments just make me so happy and feel so good about my story. I'm so glad you like it! Also, special thanks to JusKIdding, my second follower for this story! Thank you both for following, I'm glad you like the story so far and I hope I'll continue to keep you guys happy with the story from this point on!**


	7. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6: Allen and Kanda On The Train**

"Hey, listen," Allen finally speaks up. The journey so far has been mostly silent and more than a little tense. Now, Allen and Kanda sit alone in a train car, their Finder sitting just outside the door and in the hallway. Something's been bugging Allen the entire way, and now he's finally worked up the energy – or maybe courage – to speak up. "About what you said back at headquarters, in the cafeteria—"

"What about it?" Kanda snaps, already impatient with this conversation.

"You shouldn't say those kinds of things in front of Levi," Allen says. Kanda's immediately looks at Allen, to surprised to be angry. Levi was there? "You know she wants to be a Finder," Allen continues. "I think you really hurt her feelings."

By the time Allen finishes, Kanda's recovered his normal attitude, and continues to glare in annoyance out the window, like he's been doing for most of the train ride. "What makes you think I care about her feelings?" Kanda asks darkly.

Allen doesn't answer right away, starting at Kanda in surprise. Is Kanda really _that_ heartless, that he doesn't care about a twelve year old girl? No, that can't be right… "Everyone cares about Levi," Allen points out. "Even me, and I only just met her. I guess it can't be helped. She's the youngest person there, so it's natural for everyone to love her and care about her."

"Shut up already," Kanda finally snaps, tired of hearing Allen babble. Of course, he knows that Allen's not wrong. What happened in the cafeteria back at headquarters never would have happened if Kanda had realized that Levi was in the room. But still, he couldn't help himself informing Allen, "Not everyone's like that."

 **PS Sorry this chapter's so short! It's kind of a filler, I guess, but for some reason I just really needed to add it and it would have bugged me to no end if I hadn't put this in there. Don't worry, this will probably be the shortest chapter in the story! (And the shortest chapter I've _ever_ written...) Anyway, I'm glad you guys seem to be enjoying the story so far and I'm hoping it'll just get better as it goes!**

 **PPS Spoiler(ish) alert! My next drawing is _definitely_ going to be of Levi eating her giant cookie now. I'm with ya, AngelHeartsX, it's just too cute! **


	8. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7: A Call From Italy**

"This. Is. Hopeless." I decide.

"Just now realizing that, are ya?" River asks as he comes towards me, carrying a stack of paperwork all the way up to his chin.

I whine, "Please tell me that's not for Komui!" It's been almost a week since Kanda and Allen left, since I started my mission of cleaning up Komui's office – or at least its floor – and it looks like I've done absolutely nothing!

"'Fraid so," River carelessly just drops the paperwork, causing it to scatter everywhere.

"RIVER!" I whine. I throw the stack of papers in my hands up into the air, making it rain paper, and fall backwards onto the papers on the floor behind me. There's so many of them, that it doesn't even feel like I'm hitting floor.

Nearby, at his desk, Komui sings into his phone, "Aaah…blue skies, emerald green ocean, por favor Italia!"

I sit up, "Is that Allen and Kanda?" I ask him. Komui nods to me as Kanda says something on the other line.

"What?" Komui questions Kanda, before giggling. Suddenly he bursts out yelling, "I'M JEALOUS, DAMMIT! It has been three days since you defeated that Akuma! What are you doing?! Everyone is using me like a slave! They don't let me go outside! It's like I'm a prisoner in the dungeon of some castle…"

"STOP SHOUTING BEFORE YOU BREAK MY EARDRUMS!" I yell at Komui. He glares at me like a little kid. I just glare right back at him.

After a minute, Komui's the first to give as he turns his attention back to the phone, "You don't get along with anyone. So, where is Allen?" I can't help but giggle. Kanda has more than slight anger management problems.

I get up and go over to Komui's desk, standing beside him and leaning down. He angles the phone so that we both and hear Kanda's angry response, "He's still in that city with the doll!"

"That doll called Lala…" Komui muses. "It'll be soon, right?"

"Probably," Kanda answers. "It has already been working for 500 years. It's not the same doll. It'll stop by itself."

Just then, someone else comes into whatever room Kanda's in and Kanda's attention is pulled away as he talks to that person.

"I'm hungry," I muse, jumping up onto Kumoi's desk – or rather, all the paper on his desk – and swinging my feet back and forth.

"Your injuries took quite a while this time, Kanda," Komui points out once Kanda's finished talking to whoever he was talking to. I hear Kanda's response, but I'm further away now, so I can't make it out. "But since it took some time, it means it's starting to deteriorate," Komui says. "You can't afford to misgauge. Your life reserve…" he lets his words trail off. There's silence for a minute before I hear Kanda says something. Then Komui gasps in offence, "Did you hear that, Levi?! Those sharp words!"

"What'd he say?" I ask.

"He accused me of prank calling him!"

"…"

"Well you could defend me!" Komui whines.

I look up at the ceiling. I'm not going to lie. Komui prank calls Exorcists on missions all the time. And Finders, when he's really bored. Or really trying to get out of work. After _humph_ ing at me, Komui says to Kanda, "You've got it wrong. The next mission…"

"Levi, there you are," Lenalee comes into the room. I look over my shoulder at her as she comes over to us. "I thought you'd be in the cafeteria by now."

"Soon," I tell her.

"You'll be going alone on this one," Komui tells Kanda. I hop off the desk and snatch the phone from him.

"Kanda!" I say quickly, to see if he's still there or if he's hung up already.

"What?" he answers after a second.

"Tell Allen to hurry up and bring the Innocence back! Okay?"

There's another second of silence before he says, "Understood."

I smile, hesitate, then add, "And come back soon." I give the phone back to Komui. "I'm hungry," I say again, and then I walk past River and Lenalee and out of the office, heading down to the cafeteria. Hopefully, Allen will come back soon. Hopefully, the Innocence he brings back will be compatible with me, and I'll be able to become an Exorcist.


	9. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8: The Giant Robot From Hell**

"Nyuh!" I drop down to lay on my back on the floor in the middle of the training room. I just lay there for a few minutes, panting and sweating. "He should have been back by now," I huff after a while. It's been a few days since Kanda and Komui talked on the phone. Allen should have been back with the Innocence by now. I glare at the ceiling, "He better not have lost my Innocence!"

I sigh, "That's being awfully optimistic. I don't even know if I can be compatible with _any_ Innocence, much less the one that he's bringing." Maybe I'm just not meant to be an Exorcist at all. I shake my head, sitting up, "No! I can't think like that! I will become an Exorcist! Huh?" I look up at the ceiling as the entire room shakes, dust crumbling down from the ceiling and the stone pillars. "What the…" To go or not to go…nope, I'm going!

I spring to my feet and run out of the training room and up stairs and down hallways until I skid to a stop right behind a giant robot. "YOU REVIVED KOMRIN?!" I yell. I can't _believe_ Komui would be this stupid! He was probably bored…

Komrin spins around, sweeping one of its tentacle-like arms out at me. "AH!" I jump backwards, barely managing to keep from getting swept away by it. The claws at the end do manage to scrape my stomach though.

"Levi!" Lenalee yells from the other side of the robot.

"I'm okay!" I call back to her. "Why is this thing back?!"

"Because my brother's an idiot!"

"Watch out!" River yells from Lenalee's side.

"Levi, go down to the river passage! Wait for Allen there!" Lenalee yells.

"Okay!" I yell back at her, then I turn and run down to the water passage where Allen and Levi left from over a week ago. Unfortunately, Allen's not there when I get there. I bounce up and down on my heels, "Come on, come on!" I just hope he hurries up. He's already late. What if something happened while he was on his way back and he's in a hospital or something? Oh that _would_ be just perfect, wouldn't it? Survive his first mission with Kanda only to get taken out by an Akuma or something on his way home.

Then I spot something down the river. A boat!

"Allen?" I run to the railing to get a closer look. As the boat gets closer, I see Allen's white hair. "Allen! Oh thank goodness! Allen, did you lose that Innocence?!" I demand as the Finder brings the boat over to the dock.

Once he's off the boat, Allen pulls the Innocence out of and inside coat pocket and shows it to me, smiling, "Nope. Right here, safe and sound."

"Good! Why are you guys so late anyway?" I cross my arms, narrowing my eyes at them.

"Sorry, Miss Levi, we got delayed by the storm," the Finder says. _Now_ I recognize his voice and the way he's talking.

"Toma! No 'miss'ing me!" I huff.

"Oh, Levi, are you bleeding?" Allen asks. I drop my arms and look down at my stomach. I'd forgotten the robot cut me…the robot!

"Allen, Komrin's alive again, you have to go help the others!" I blurt suddenly, looking up at him with wide eyes.

"Who's Komrin?"

"This stupid giant robot from hell that's upstairs trying to kill everyone! You have to help them!" I stomp my foot.

"What about you?"

"Don't worry, Master Walker, I will watch over here and treat her wound," Toma assures him.

I huff and mumble, "It's just a scratch."

"Alright, then I'll go. Take care of this for me," Allen gives me the Innocence before running up the stairs to help with the stupid robot.

"Giant robot from hell," I mutter under my breath again. Why Komui felt the need to build the _first_ one is beyond me. Now he's rebuilt it and it's probably going to destroy all of headquarters.

"Please, Miss Levi, let me attend to your wound," Toma says.

"I'm fine, it's just a cut," I say dismissively, even though Toma's already kneeling in front of me and lifting the bottom of my shirt a few inches so that he can see the scratch better…it turned out to be an inch-deep gash. Oops.

While the building shakes more and more from this robot attack, I gaze at the Innocence now in my hand. I sigh in disappointment. I can already tell I'm not compatible with it. It looks and feels to me exactly the same as all other Innocence I've been around. Still, I hug it carefully to my chest as Toma cleans my wound and stops its bleeding, then bandages it up.

You know, I'm pretty sure it's entirely because of me that Toma knows basic first aid. I'm not the most graceful, but more than that, I don't think things through and I'm very reckless. So, of course, I get hurt a lot. It's never anything serious, just scrapes and bruises. I've never even broken a bone, and I've only had to get stitches twice. But anyway, Toma basically lives in the outside world now, but before, like while he was training and stuff, he was always here, and seemed to almost always be around whenever I got injured. So, eventually, he learned quite a bit of first aid so that he could patch me up whenever I got hurt.

"Do you have to go back out?" I ask him once he's done and stands back up.

"I suppose I can wait around with you for a little while," he says, and the two of us sit down to wait.

I look up at the ceiling as the building shakes again, then I jump to my feet, "Oh forget this! This is perfect! If I can't fight Akuma, I can still fight this robot!"

"Miss Levi…!" Toma starts to protest.

"I'll leave this to you, Toma!" I give him the innocence, and then run up the stairs two at a time, ignoring his calls after me. I can do this! I mean, it's just a robot, right? How hard can it be?

I shouldn't have asked that…

When I get to the top of the stairs, Allen's activating his Innocence to shoot at the robot.

Wait, shoot?! It's a cannon?! His Innocence got stronger! Oh this is so not fair…

Before Allen can shoot the robot, though, Komui shoots a dart from a blow pipe at him and Allen drops to the ground, unconscious.

"SUPERVISOR!" River yells at Komui.

"He has a blow pipe!" someone else yells.

"Grab it!" another person yells, and out on the elevator, safely away from the robot, a bunch of the scientists pounce on Komui to try to take his blowpipe.

"Allen!" I scream as two robot Komui's pop out of Komrin and grab Allen by both his arms and start to drag him in. Since everyone else is busy with Komui, I take this as my chance!

I run forward and kick one of the Komui's robot's arms, breaking it enough to make it lose it's hold on Allen. I lunge inside the robot then and hit the kill switch on the back of the neck of both of the robot Komui's. Thankfully, Komui always installs emergency kill switches. Unfortunately, they're usually in nearly impossible places to get to.

The robots drop Allen and he slumps to the ground as Komrin's large doors slam shut in front of me, trapping me in the machine. And I don't think anyone noticed…

"Crap," I whimper. "Not good…" I look around the room inside. It's set up scarily like a surgery room, with more than a dozen robot Komui's, each holding something different. A saw, a scalpel, a drill, things like that. "Okay, okay okay okay, just relax," I say to myself as the robot Komui's begin to close in on me. "Just find the main kill switch…" Then I see it, on the other side of the room. Big and red and obvious. There's even a sign above it that says, "EMERGENCY KILL BUTTON" above it.

I glare at the robotic Komuis as they approach me, then get into a fighting stance. "Okay! Let's do this!"

I mostly flip and duck my way through the room, dodging every time the robot Kumois try to cut me or stick a needle in me. I'm clumsy and reckless, yeah, but I'm good at being clumsy and reckless. I think that's why I've never toppled over the railings in the building or gotten any broken bones. I stumble and I fall a lot, but then I use the momentum from those falls to do flips and summersaults and stuff.

So I make it across the room in one piece, and then I slam my hand on the kill button! Immediately the entire robot goes silent and still, all the whirring and metal clicking together stops, and Komrin drops about a foot, coming to rest on the ground outside.

The doors are forced open by River, Allen and Toma.

"Oh good, you're okay!" River grins.

" _How_ are you okay?" Allen asks in amazement as I hop out of Komrin.

"Our little Levi has a lot of secret talents," River boasts like a proud big brother, putting his hand on top of my head. I can't help but giggle. "But I think one of those talents is insanity. Don't do anything reckless like that again," he says, taking his hand off my head only to bonk me with his fist instead.

"Hey!" my hands fly up to cover the top of my head.

"You had us worried there," Allen smiles.

"Well _someone_ had to save you," I point out, putting my hands on my hips. Then I toss one of my pony tails over my shoulder and add haughtily, "And here I thought all you Exorcists were supposed to be all big and scary. You couldn't even go up against an itty bitty robot."

"Alright, don't go getting a big head now, brat," River says, bonking me on the head again.

"Stop that!" I whine, throwing my hands up to cover the top of my head again, as Toma, Allen and River all laugh.


	10. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9: Endless Waiting**

"My room…." I whine, dazing down the hallway that my room's supposed to be on. It's in complete ruins now. Not just my room, the entire hallway.

"Wow," Allen says, apparently having come up behind me. "What was here?"

"My room," I sigh. "And some other bedrooms.

"Don't worry, my room was destroyed too," Allen informs me. I glance over my shoulder at him, then look down at his hands. He's got the Innocence back from Toma, I see, and is getting ready to give it to Hebreska. He glances down at it, noticing that I'm looking at it. "How do you know if you're compatible with Innocence?" he wonders.

I shrug, looking away and back down the hallway. The truth is, I never did understand exactly how it works. I just know that I've always been able to know right away that the Innocence isn't compatible with me, and I know I've never been wrong because Hebreska's never had Innocence given back to me. "Are you going to give that to Hebreska now?" I ask him.

"Yeah. You want to come?" he asks in return.

I shake my head. "No. I'm going to get a cookie from Jerry, then I'm going to help with the rebuilding."

"You sure?" Allen asks skeptically.

I nod, "Yeah. I already know it's not mine, so I might as well go ahead and start helping."

"Okay…" Allen says slowly as I turn and walk away, heading down to the cafeteria.

"Hey, baby girl, why so glum?" Jerry asks once he sees me at the counter. "Didn't that new guy bring back some Innocence earlier?"

"Yeah, but it's not mine," I shrug.

"Ah, I see," Jerry disappears for a few seconds before coming back with a giant cookie. This one's a peanut butter cookie, another one of my favorites. Okay, so they're all my favorites. If you had Jerry's cookies, you wouldn't be able to choose a favorite either!

"Jerry, we need your help repairing," Lenalee says as she enters the cafeteria.

"Why do I, the chef, have to do carpentry?!" Jerry whines.

"We don't have enough people," she says simple. "Levi's helping too."

"But I'm the chef!" Jerry argues. "You guys aren't going to get any breakfast!"

"If we get to work now, at least we'll be done by dinner so you can cook then," Lenalee points out before turning and leaving, not waiting to see if Jerry will follow her. But she probably already knows that he will, even if it is reluctantly. And sure enough, as I bite into my giant peanut butter cookie, I watch Jerry take off his apron – grumbling and protesting the entire time – before leaving the kitchen, then the cafeteria, and following Lenalee out to where pretty much everyone is working at repairing the damage done last night by Komui's robot.

With the help of pretty much everyone who lived at Headquarters, and a few who were unlucky enough to come back while we were all working and got suckered into helping, it actually doesn't take that long to repair the damage. In a little less than a week, we're almost done.

"Levi!" Lenalee calls. I pause in my work, looking around, but I don't see her. "Levi!" Lenalee calls again. I turn around and walk over to the banister lining the balcony that overlooks the entryway, standing up on my tiptoes so that I can lean over it a little bit and look down. Lenalee and Allen are both standing on the ground floor, both wearing their coats. I drop right down flat on my feet.

"You're both going?" I ask.

"Yeah," Lenalee answers apologetically. I can't help but sigh. Just once, I want to be able to go with them. Even if I don't have Innocence. But if I never find my own Innocence, it'll still take years until I'll be able to go out in the field, even as a Finder.

"Good luck," I fake a smile. Lenalee smiles and waves as she turns to head out.

"We'll try to find your Innocence for you, Levi," Allen smiles as he turns to leave.

 **PS This is a day late, I'm sorry! I swear, I thought I posted this last night! I think creative over-drive is making my mind melt went it comes to the more logicalish stuff like that...anyway! Here it is! Finally, the next chapter! More to come later tonight! If I remember to actually post it, at least...**


	11. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10: Kanda's Return**

I collapse on the floor of the training room, out of breath and sweaty. I stare up at the ceiling for a few minutes before closing my eyes. Several people I've said that I'd probably make an excellent exorcist. I train almost constantly, when I'm not helping people. I'm faster than almost anyone else here, finders and exorcists included, and I'm really good at dodging, and I know all the weak points of Akuma…I know just about everything that an exorcist should ever have to know. But I'll probably never be an exorcist.

"Hey, kiddo," Roger says as he comes into the training room. I open my eyes and sit up, twisting to look at him. "I thought you'd be downstairs by now."

"Why would I be downstairs by now?" I wonder.

"Kanda's due back any minute," he says. My eyes almost bulge out of my head. I'd forgotten that Kanda's coming back today! Innocence!

I jump up and bolt out of the training room, speeding down flights of stairs until I get to the dock underneath the castle, just as Kanda's boat comes up to the dock. "Kanda!" I jump up and down. He doesn't even look at me before tossing the Innocence he gathered at me.

"Take that to Hebreska, will you?" he says. He doesn't wait for a response, just continues on past me and up the stairs.

"Gru-um- _py_ ," I say in an almost sing-song voice. But I look down at the Innocence in my hand and can't help but smile. I don't even really know why, but for some reason, I'm suddenly really excited. I bite my lower lip, bouncing up and down slightly for a minute before turning and hurrying up the stairs and to Hebreska.

"Hebreska!" I call the platform elevator rises up. "I have Kanda's Innocence!" I inform Hebreska as the strange creature spirals up to greet me and absorbs the innocence.

"No, child," Hebreska disagrees. "You have _your_ Innocence."

I stare at Hebreska. Blink. "Wait, seriously?" I ask, looking back up at Hebreska. I don't know if Hebreska's really capable of laughing, but it sure seems like she is for second.

"Yes, child. You are compatible with this Innocence."

"But-but-but-but-"

My eyes widen as the Innocence floats back out of Hebreska again, this time in its Akuma weapon form. It's too small for me to make out what it is until it's right in front of me, floating down into my outstretched hands. Once it lands in my palms, I look closer at it. It looks like a really long ribbon, folded up and up neatly in the palm of my hand.

"I have Innocence?" I whisper in disbelief, staring down at the black ribbon in my hand. Then I grin and cheer as loud as I can, "I HAVE INNOCENCE!"

"There you are," Leenalee says as she comes over to the table I'm sitting on top of in the cafeteria. I look up at her with wide eyes and a mouth filled with cookie.

"Whaf?" I ask.

"Oh, don't talk with your mouth full!" she laughs. I point to one of the scientists I'm sitting with – I don't even bother to look which one I'm pointing at.

"Blame him," I mumble, before swallowing. "What's up?"

"Allen just got back," Leenalee smiles.

"Oh!" I cram the last few bites of my cookie in my mouth as I scramble off the table and run as fast as I can out of the cafeteria. I've been dying waiting for Allen to come back so that I can tell him that I finally have my Innocence…Because now I can be an exorcist!

I find Allen, and Lavi, in the entry way, probably on their way to Hebreska. I ignore Lavi because I know he'll ignore me anyway, like he always has, and run right up to Allen.

"Allen, Allen, Allen!" I say quickly, grinning, bouncing up and down on the balls of my feet.

"I'll catch up with you later, man," Lavi says to Allen, clearly in a hurry to get as far away from me as possible, as quickly as possible.

"Yeah, see you," Allen says to Lavi before turning to me. "What are you so excited?" he asks me.

"Caaaause," I giggle, still bouncing. "Kanda came back while you were gone…"

"Oh really? He's not in the cafeteria, is he? I'm hungry and I don't really want to risk having to fight for my food."

I laugh, but shake my head, "No, he had to leave again. He came back a while ago. But that's not the point!"

Allen laughs, "Okay, okay, so what is the point?"

"Kanda found my Innocence! I can become an Exorcist now!"

 **PS Sorry it's short, but don't worry, it's just going to get better from here, because I'M FREAKING BACK! Gods, it feels good to be able to write again.**


	12. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11: Questions Answered**

 **~Lavi POV~**

I stop in the hallway, once I'm out of sight from Allen so he doesn't catch me listening. Then I just lean against the wall and sigh. So Lavi's got her Innocence. I figured it was bound to happen eventually, but that still never meant I was looking forward to it in any way. Being an Exorcist is dangerous, and even when she was a baby she was always prone to danger. Keeping her safe and healthy turned into a full time job practically from the day she was born. Until we came here, at least.

Her being an Exorcist is probably the worst idea in the world. But I couldn't stop her. I gave up that right a long time ago, and now it's too late to just pick up where I left off.

Sighing, I continue down the hall, leaving Levi and Allen to their celebrating, going to the cafeteria by myself, where I get something to eat and then sit at a relatively empty table. It doesn't take long for Allen to join me, which I knew it wouldn't. He was complaining about starving to death even before we arrived. Thankfully, though, Levi's not with him. Probably spreading the good news to the Finder that came in with us.

"Good, I didn't miss you," Allen says as he sits down across from me. "You know, you and Levi look a lot alike." And there it is. He certainly didn't waste any time.

I sigh, "I know."

"What, you two don't get along?" he asks.

"Something like that," I shrug, then stand up. "I'm going to report to Komui. You'll take the Innocence to Hebreska?"

"I gave it to Tomo, he said he'll do it," Allen says, sounding more than a little confused. I dump my tray and get out of there before he can ask any questions though.

After reporting to Komui – and ducking out before he can make me go back out right away – I head down to my rarely-used room to shower and change into clean clothes. I've only just finished getting dressed again when there's a knock on my door. "Please don't let it be her," I mutter under my breath as I go to pull the door open. When I see Leenalee, arms crossed and looking annoyed, I change my mind and think maybe dealing with Levi would have been a lot easier than having to deal with Leenalee. Because she does not look happy.

"How long are you going to keep this up?" Leenalee asks.

"Oh, good, we're starting early this time," I turn and go back inside my room, leaving the door open behind me, and sit down on my bed. Just sitting on it makes me want to lay down and just sleep. I don't even remember the last time I slept on a bed this comfortable.

"Well, Allen's already asking questions," Leenalee says simply, coming inside and closing the door shut behind her.

"Then just tell him to mind his own business," I snap at her. I would tell her to mind her own business too, but I know by now it's not going to do any good. Levi is her business anymore. Which is only fair, I guess, since she's been the one primarily taking care of Levi.

"No. I'm not going to lie for you anymore, Lavi. Levi's going to be an Exorcist, she's going to need all the help she can get."

"Just because she has her Innocence doesn't mean she's going to become an Exorcist," I argue.

"Lavi! All she's wanted since you first brought her here is to be an Exorcist!" Leenalee says. I sigh, running a hand through my hair and looking down at the floor.

"He still doesn't have to know. Nobody has to know she's my sister to help her. You said yourself that she's everyone's like everyone's little sister, they'll take care of her even if they never know."

" _You_ should be taking care of her, Lavi," Leenalee sits next to me on the bed. "She needs a real big brother. Someone that will always be there instead of just always coming and going."

"I come and go too, remember? I'm barely here. I'm here probably less than anyone else."

"She could go with you though. You two are the only family you guys have, you belong together."

I shake my head, "I'm not her family anymore. The Black Order is. You are."

Leenalee sighs, and for a minute I think she's going to press the subject. But she doesn't. She just sits there for a minute, then she gets up and leaves without another word, and I collapse backwards onto the bed.

I don't even realize I'd fallen asleep until I wake up, jerked awake by screaming. _Levi_. I'm off my bed instantly, bolting down the halls until I get to Levi's room, where I throw open the door, looking around quickly. But nothing and no one else is there. She's safe, just having a nightmare. I have to stop myself from going into her room to comfort her when I hear footsteps coming. I quickly jump to the side, dodging Leenalee, who I don't even think knows I'm here, too focused on getting to Levi to comfort her.

I just stand in the doorway for a minute, watching. It takes Leenalee a little bit to wake Levi out of her nightmare, and by the time she does, Levi's shaking and crying. She curls up in Leenalee's arms, and Leenalee strokes her hair and whispers something too her, too quiet for me to be able to hear. Once I see Levi's started to calm down, I turn to leave, almost slamming right into Allen.

"Jeeze, man, don't do that!" I snap at him.

"Sorry," he smiles, seeming entertained.

I narrow my eyes at him, about to ask what the look's for. But I don't have the energy to get into anything with anyone, so I just walk past him, wanting to retreat to my room before Leenalee can come back out and get mad at me for not going in there myself. Maybe if I get back to my room in time, she'll never even know I was here.

"Why didn't you tell me Levi's your sister?" Allen asks once I'm about halfway down the hall. I stop walking, freezing. After a minute, I turn around, go back to him, grab his arm, and pull him away from Levi's bedroom door and down the hall, around the corner and out of earshot. "Ow, Lavi, that hurts. What's going on?" Allen asks, pulling out of my grip.

" _Never_ say that around Levi," I hiss at him.

"Why not?"

"She doesn't know," I cross my arms.

"She doesn't? But…how would she not know her own brother?"

I sigh, scrubbing my hand through my hair, wishing I could just go back to sleep. Or better yet, wake up and realize this is all just a dream and none of it's really happening. But since that doesn't seem to be happening any time, and Allen's still waiting for an answer, I start to explain, "She was really young and really sick when I brought her here. She doesn't remember me, or anything else. She remembers growing up here, raised by the Black Order."

"But, wouldn't that mean you too?" Allen asks, confused.

"No." I answer shortly.

"But," Allen starts to say something, but I already know what he's going to say. I've had this conversation with almost everyone who knows about me and Levi. So I cut him off, "She doesn't know I'm her brother, so don't tell her. Okay?" Before waiting for a response, since I know he's going to argue, I turn and walk away, headed back to my room. Before I get there, though, some scientist tells me Komui wants me in his office. I want to ignore the message and go back to bed, but I end up trudging up to Komui's office anyway.

"Yuu!" I smile when I see Yuu Kanda already there.

"Dammit," Yuu immediately swears when he sees me, as I throw my arm around his shoulders, just as Allen and Leenalee come in.

"Uh oh," I frown at them. "This can't be good." I don't think four exorcists have ever been called to Komui's office all at once before.

"Would you get off me?" Yuu snaps at me, almost growling. I grin, but pull my arm off his shoulders and tuck my hands into my pockets.

"What's going on, big brother?" Leenalee asks, sounding suspicious.

"Wait, you don't know?" I look at her. I was hoping she was just here because she's Komui's sister, not that she was actually called here. "This really can't be good."

"Well how bad can it be? He's not even awake," Allen points out, gesturing to Komui, who's been hunched over his desk, asleep.

My grin widens, "We'll have to wake him up then."

"Lavi…" Leenalee sighs as I step up to Komui's desk. But she doesn't bother trying to stop me, because this really is the quickest way to wake Komui up.

"Komui, Leenalee got married and is on her honeymoon right now," I whisper in Komui's ear.

"LEENALEE, HOW COULD YOU?!" he screams, jumping to his feet. I duck away from his reaching arms and bolt away to hide behind Yuu, laughing. Leenalee just sighs.

"Oh," Komui blinks, looking at the four of us. "Oh, good, you're here," he clears his throat and proceeds to pretend nothing just happened, which just makes me snigger.

"Hey wait a minute, aren't you supposed to be in Timbuktu or something?" I ask, looking at Yuu. Levi _just_ said earlier today that he was gone.

"I'm back," he says shortly. He must have only just gotten back, though, since he's the only one of us all dressed up in his uniform instead of in pajamas. I just shrug.

"Not for long, however," Komui says. "The five of you will be leaving tomorrow evening to go to Italy."

"Five?" Allen asks as I look around, trying to find whoever I didn't notice before.

"No," Yuu says. I can't help but grin. Allen's told me all about his conflicts with Yuu. Poor Yuu, having to put up with me _and_ Allen.

"Who's the fifth?" Leenalee asks.

"Levi," Komui tells us. I stop looking around and slowly turn around to look at Komui again. This has to be a joke.

"But, brother, she's only 12!" Leenalee protests.

"She's an Exorcist now."

"Wait, but wouldn't she need like years of training before she can go out into the field?" I ask. _I_ had to go through years of training. Allen was one of the general's apprentices. Yuu…actually, he was probably born a killer.

"She has been training for years," Komui says.

"But not with her Akuma weapon," I point out, earning a strange look from Leenalee.

"The best training is in the field, right, Lavi?" Komui says with an even glint in his eyes. I clench my teeth, not saying anything. There's nothing I _can_ say. That was the argument I used when I was bored of training and wanted to fight real Akuma. I sigh and rub the back of my head. I'm screwed.

"Now what are you going to do?" Leenalee asks me with an annoying smirk on her face. I just glare at her for a minute before turning to Komui.

"Why do all of us have to go?" I ask him. "If it's so dangerous it needs even four Exorcists, she shouldn't be going anyway. She's too young and too inexperienced."

"It's not that dangerous at all. The only reason so many are going is to keep Levi safe. It's a precaution, that's all."

"Then Allen and Leenalee and Yuu—"

"Stop calling me that!" Yuu snaps, but I ignore him.

"—can handle it," I continue. "I don't have to go. I can't go! I have to go back to Bookman!" I almost smile. There's no way he can stop me now.

"I've already discussed this with Bookman. He agrees with me that you should go." Now Komui has a smile that almost matches his sister's smirk.

"You all hate me, don't you?"

"Yes," Yuu says.

"We don't hate you," Leenalee argues. "We just think that ignoring your own sister is doing more harm than good. I don't know where I'd be today without my big brother."

"She doesn't know who I am," I point out.

"Because you refuse to tell her!" Leenalee almost snaps back. Allen takes a large step backwards so that he's no longer directly in between me and her.

"And it's too late to tell her now. She has a family, and it's not me anymore. It hasn't been since she woke up and didn't know who I was," I snap at her.

"Woke up?" Allen asks.

I don't answer him. I don't want any more people knowing how Levi and I came here than absolutely necessary.

"Tell him," Leenalee says, almost glaring at me. I start to shake my head, but she continues, "Tell him everything, Lavi. Or I will."

"Both of you just shut up already," Yuu growls. "I'm getting tired of all this stupid fighting."

"Fine," Leenalee says shortly. "I have to get Levi's uniform prepared anyway." She turns on her heel and stalks out, and I release a breath I didn't realize I was holding.

 **PS Sorry it's so long, but this is probably the only chapter that will be in Lavi's POV (I don't know for sure yet though) so I kind of wanted to make sure there was at least a little bit of insight into what's going on, from his end.**


	13. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12: Leaving Headquarters for the First Time**

"Are you nervous?" Leenalee asks as she buttons up my coat for me. I immediately shake my head, earning a skeptical look from her.

"Maybe a little…" I admit reluctantly. "Does Lavi have to come?"

"Komui wants all five of us. Why don't you want him to come?"

"He hates me," I point out obviously. Everyone knows Lavi hates me.

"He doesn't hate you," Leenalee says as she stands up.

"Yes he does. He always goes away as soon as he sees me."

"He's just…busy," Leenalee says as she brings me my ribbon, my new anti-akuma weapon. I wrap it twice around my neck, almost like a scarf, except I leave the extra hanging over my back instead of forward.

"Now," Leenalee turns me to face my full length mirror, "you look like an Exorcist."

I grin, "I look like you!" My uniform's almost just like hers. I have different boots, of course, cause hers are her anti-Akuma weapon, but other than that. I even have my hair in two ponytails like she wears. Except mine are kinda curly.

"Okay, we should go," Leenalee says. "The boys are probably already waiting for us. At least Allen and Yuu are coming, right?"

"Right!" I love Allen and Yuu. Yuu especially, but that might be because he's just been here longer, so I know him better. But I like Allen too.

Leenalee laughs, "Alright, come on." I follow her out of my room and through headquarters and to the dock way underground. The boys and our Finder are all already there. I immediately pounce on Yuu's back, wrapping my arms around his neck.

"Get off!" Yuu immediately growls, but I don't move, grinning. Lavi and Allen both turn, since their backs were to Yuu, to see what's going on. Allen laughs, but Lavi immediately turns back away, sighing in annoyance. I stick my tongue out at his back and pretend he can actually see me.

"All ready for your first mission, Levi?" Allen asks.

"Yep!" I smile, pulling myself up a little bit so I can rest my chin on Yuu's shoulder. Everyone ignoring him while he pretends to be annoyed with me. But I know he won't make me to get off. He won't admit it but I know Yuu secretly loves me and I'm his favorite in the whole Black Order. And possibly the only one he likes even a little bit.

"Are we ready to go then?" The Finder asks, and I recognize Tomo's voice.

"Hi Tomo!" I wave to him real quick, putting my arm back around Yuu's neck before I can fall.

"I think so," Leenalee answers his question.

"Are we going to be taking the boat the whole time?" I wonder as everyone starts to pile into the boat, Leenalee first, and then Allen.

"Can you get off me yet?" Yuu asks grumpily.

"We're only taking the boat to the train, then we'll travel by train to the mission," Tomo explains.

"A boat _and_ a train!" I grin as Lavi gets into the boat. Tomo's already at the front. "This is gonna be a bumpy ride!" I say for no particular reason, as Yuu finally gives up and climbs into the boat with me still on his back. I let go as he sits down so that I can sit down myself, squeezing in between Allen and Leenalee.

The boat pushes away from the dock and floats down the river underneath the Black Order Headquarters. I look over my shoulder as we go, first watching the dock get smaller and smaller. Then, when we get out of the cave, I look up towards the top of the mountain that the building sits on, watching as it slowly gets smaller and further away, as I leave Headquarters for the first time in my life. The further from headquarters we get, the more nervous I get.

 **PS Not even gonna lie, I have no excuse for not updating anything for a few days. I seriously forgot about my fanfictions. Blame Peter Pan. And the Maze. Anyway! I'm back! (Clearly) And now Levi begins her adventures as an Exorcist, ready to surprise everyone with her anti-Akuma weapon!**


	14. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13: Jumping on a Train**

"We're going to what?" I blink stupidly, looking at Tomo. "That…there's no way," I shake my head, looking between the others and the approaching train that'll pass just under the bridge we're waiting on. "That could kill us!"

"It's a lot less dangerous than fighting Akuma," Yuu points out.

"Well…yeah, but still! If we're going to die on this mission, we might as well die _from_ the Akuma and no from a train on our way _too_ the Akuma! That-that'd be a disgrace!" There! Appeal to Yuu's pride! That'll work!

"Nobody's going to die, Levi," Leenalee says. "We do this all the time, and only one person's gotten hurt," she looks pointedly at Lavi, and my eyes widen as I slap my hands over my mouth to try to keep from laughing. The way he's glaring at her makes it even more obvious that _he's_ the one who got hurt.

"That was five years ago, I was still in training, let it go!" he complains. But Allen's laughing too. Even Yuu's smirking. I can tell Leenalee's trying not to giggle.

"Here it comes," Tomo says.

Instantly, I don't feel like laughing anymore. I guess I never really thought about it until now, but all of this is just so scary. And we haven't gotten to the Akuma yet! This is just the train! But jumping off a bridge and onto a moving train that's not even going to slow down for us, it's insane! It's dangerous and it's suicide!

Lavi jumps first, making me scream and jump in place as he disappears at first. Allen goes next, and his white hair makes it easier to see him.

"Come on," Yuu says, kneeling down beside me. I scramble onto his back before he can change his mind. Leenalee and Tomo jump next, and Yuu jumps last. I bite my lower lip and squeeze my eyes shut to keep from screaming. But we make it onto the back of the train safely, and Yuu lets me down, but I hold onto the back of his jacket with one hand while we crawl along the roof of the train until Tomo opens a trap door leading inside, and one by one we drop inside, Yuu last after he's made me go ahead of him.

"Good job, Levi," Leenalee smiles. "You did even better than Lavi on his first jump," she looks at him pointedly, and I giggle a little bit.

Lavi snorts, "She didn't even jump." His back's turned, but I stick my tongue out at him anyway.

"Come on," Leenalee laughs at me as she starts to follow Tomo, Allen and Yuu down the aisle in between two rows of seats of people gaping at us. I stick my tongue out at them too. Then I hurry to catch up to the others, squeezing past Leenalee so that I'm in between her and Allen and not stuck with grumpy Lavi.

We walk down the train until we're in another compartment, and the entire thing's clean and bright and empty of people except for us. "Here's your compartment," the guy in a different uniform says.

"Is this all ours?" I ask, looking up at Leenalee.

"The Black Order always gets the best treatment when it comes to travel," she answers. I look around again, as everyone else starts to settle down. There's even a little kitchen with a fridge and a microwave in one corner. And the seats are different here than they were where we first came in. Instead of benches, they're really comfy looking chairs and couches, and there's a round table with four chairs around it. That's where Tomo, Allen and Leenalee sit. Yuu sits in a chair in a corner, and Levi stretches out on one of the couches.

The sun's starting to rise, so I just go stand in front of a window and watch the sky get lighter. I can't see the sun, not from here. There are trees in the way. There's never that problem at the Black Order. I'm finally out of the castle, for the first time in my whole life, and I finally have my own Innocence, but now I kinda want to go back to the castle. The sky's prettier when you're closer to it.

I look down at my shaking hands and press them against the window to make them stop. I don't want the others to know that I'm really scared of this. Everyone's tried to keep quiet about Akuma around me, but I still hear a lot of stories. I still sometimes see how many people die after a really bad Akuma fight. But…those are mostly Finders. I'll be okay since I have Innocence, right? That's what I'm trying to tell myself, anyway….

 **PS I'm soooo sorry I took so long to update again! My life got more than a little crazy, and not even the good kind of crazy. I'm not entirely sure if things are getting better yet or not, but either way, I writing is basically how I keep what little sanity I have left, so updates will be coming again, I promise! It's about 2am as I am going to be updating at least once a week from now on! Most likely more than once, knowing me, but we'll put the goal low for now.**


	15. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14: First Akuma**

We don't make it all the way to wherever we're going. Some time while all of us, except maybe Tomo cause I don't think Finders ever sleep, are asleep, the train jerks hard enough that I go flying out of my chair and rolling across the floor until I hit Allen and he stops me.

"What was that?" he asks, looking around. The entire train's stopped.

"Nothing good," Yuu says walking over to the door that leans in between our compartment and another and throwing it open so he can look outside.

"Man, I was finally getting some good sleep, too," Lavi whines.

Something big comes down on the middle of our compartment, scrunching it all up like a ball of paper. I scream as Allen pulls me out of the way. Tomo's on our side, but everyone else was on the other side. I want to see if they're okay, but Allen's already pushing me into a corner and yelling at me to stay there.

I cover my ears against the sound of metal scraping against metal, sliding down the wall as I watch the train rip in half.

I've seen drawings of Akuma before, in books. And once, even, one of the Finders managed to take a picture of one while it was trapped. So I've pretty much always known what Akuma look like, so I thought I'd be okay the first time I saw one. That I wouldn't be surprised or anything because I've seen one before. I even know exactly how big they usually are.

But when a clown-ish looking Akuma appears in front of me, leering and grinning, I can't even scream. I recognize it immediately. It's a level 2 Akuma, way stronger than a level 1. It can do really bad things. It can copy people's appearance and even their powers. They can copy Innocence.

The Akuma leans closer to me, grinning wide. I just know it's going to kill me. Or maybe even do something worse. But I still can't make myself scream. I can't make myself move. Is this an Akuma trick? Hypnosis or something?

I finally scream when Lavi's hammer slams into the Akuma, making it fly sideways and away from me. Without the Akuma blocking my way, I see that the entire train car's in ruins now, ripped to shreds. And Allen, Leenalee, Yuu and Lavi are all fighting Akuma…there's almost a dozen level 1s floating in the air. I don't know where Tomo is. Or where the level 2 Akuma went.

A giant hand covers my mouth before I can scream, and yanks me backwards. I realize almost instantly that nobody's noticing. They're all too busy trying to take care of all the level 1 Akuma. None of them know that the level 2 is back. I'm on my own.

But I have Innocence! I can fight it! I can fly!

 _Innocence, activate!_

I can feel it snapping alive, like releasing a restless animal from a cage. It bolts out, not bothering to wait to see if you're going to catch up. It's too busy being free.

My moves on its own, stretching out behind me, solid enough to throw the Akuma behind me backwards, making it lose its grip on me. Shove myself off the ground, then away from it, jumping into the air. Now I can float in the air even better than Leenalee in her boots. She can jump really high and float, but I can _fly_!

I don't fly away from the level 2 Akuma though. Not very far, at least. I fly out of its grip and out of its reach, but then I flip over in the air and pull the ribbon off of my neck. The wings go away, so I know I have to do this fast. My ribbon turns into a whip and I lash out at the Akuma as hard as I can. I accidently get the other end of it wrapped around the Akuma. It's not _exactly_ what I was trying to do, but I pull with all I can anyway, tightening the whip around the Akuma until it breaks in half and dissolves away.

Then I drop and land hard on the roof of a building.


End file.
